Twenty minutes into third period, you hear giggling behind you.
Because they are whispering loudly enough to prove they are not concerned who hears them, you hear your name slip from one classmate to another.
You aren’t sure what your classmate said, but you’re sure it wasn’t nice. Your heart starts pounding, and you must be noticeably nervous because the giggles have grown louder.
Now they’re outright teasing you.
“Look at her blush,” one girl says.
“She’s such a freak,” another asserts.
As soon as the bell rings, you sprint to the restroom, stopping on the way to the stall to glance at your reflection — certain some fashion flaw or body inadequacy has set off the titters.
You suffer through the rest of the day, go home and start fresh the next day, when it’s usually someone else’s turn.
If you ever experienced junior high or high school, you probably participated in some form of familiar scene at least once. Most people will tell you that although their teen years preceded all the grown-up duties that come with being an adult, if given another chance, they would not return to their teen years.
And that’s because being a kid is tough.
And if you ask me, kids these days have it far worse than any generation preceding them.
For the most part, when we left the building, we were able to enter the safety and solitude of our own homes. While the emotional pain may not have always been checked at the door, we were able to escape the teasing and tormenting of our peers.
Today’s youth are constantly connected to each other. Through smart phones, laptops and tablets, teens have constant access to other teens.
Which means until they find the discipline to power down and shut out the bullies, these victims have no reprieve from the taunting that folks in generations before them were able to leave in the hallways.
The newest group of teenagers are part of what I refer to as the “like me” generation. Constantly seeking the most favorites or retweets on Instagram and Twitter or likes and shares on Facebook, a lot of today’s youth is obsessed with the gratification that comes from posting a funny status, perfectly-lit-just-the-right-angle selfie or carefully crafted YouTube video and watching the notifications pour in.
In today’s world, less “likes” means less cool, less attractive, less humorous, etc.
Imagine that moment in third period spelled out in writing on a Facebook profile. “Jane Doe is a freak” (some teens are bold enough to write their name — or even tag them). Desiring that gratification — the likes, favorites, shares and retweets — other students chime in, affirming the assertion in the original post by liking or commenting their own two cents worth.
Perhaps this is why the suicide rate among teenagers has skyrocketed in the last decade, or why schools have had to go to such great lengths to create alternative programs where students don’t have to work with peers at all.
It saddens me to think of what so many young people experience these days.
In the “like me” generation, there is no restroom to run to, no safe place to hide.
Administrators, teachers and parents in our local school districts have recognized this difficult problem and are working tirelessly to find a solution. Monday night, parents and staff at Niles and Brandywine school districts met for a forum to discuss teen suicide — the contributing factors and ways to solve it.
I’m sure they didn’t find all the answers they needed. This problem will take a lot of work and cannot be solved overnight, but I commend these people for taking the time to say the words out loud and tackle the issue head on.
I urge parents, community members, educators, etc. to dig deep into your past and remember how hard it could be to be young. A little empathy goes a long way.

Ambrosia Neldon is the general manager at Leader Publications. She can be reached by phone at (269) 687-7713, or by email at ambrosia.neldon@leaderpub.com.